Watch: Shabana Azmi shares intimate moment with her once-rival Smita Patil’s son, ‘Waited 25 years to hug him’

The reunion of Shabana Azmi and Prateik Patil, especially the shared hug, has gone viral. The actors are coming together for Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna’s second directorial, Imaginary Rain.

The film is adapted from his 2023 book of the same name. Khanna shared an intimate moment between Shabana and Prateik.

Chef Vikas Khanna asks Prateik how many years this reunion has been happening. The actor says it’s been 25 years.

“I’ve waited 25 years to hug him,” Shabana Azmi says.

Prateik quickly countered: “No, no, you’ve hugged me so many times in these 25 years.

“I know that Smita is watching us,” Shabana says.

“Yes, she is. She is smiling,” Prateik adds.

The two actors sit together on a staircase as Azmi warmly hugs Prateik. The hug is also a moment to reflect on Prateik’s late mother, Smita Patil.

“So much history, remembrance, and love live in this moment.

I feel Smita ji will be watching with us tonight. In three hours, I will share IMAGINARY RAIN with them. A story of identity and promises kept. I have waited almost six and a half years for this moment…with hope in my heart," Vikas Khanna wrote while sharing the clip.

Social media users reacted to the video.

“I can see how Shabana mam loves him like a kid... missing Smita Mam at the same time,” wrote one of them.

“He just looks like his mother, Smita Patil mam,” wrote another.

Another user wrote, “She kept her promise with lots of love and care.”

“oh my heart is full …. this is beautiful,” commented another user.

“Miss u, Smita Patil mam I was in 10 standard at that time you were my favourite specially arth movie maine 15 times dekhi hai,” came from another.

Rivalry between Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil

Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil shared a complex rivalry that shaped Indian parallel cinema in the 1970s and 1980s. Both were frequent choices for filmmaker Shyam Benegal.

“There were lots of imaginary roles that she thought I snatched from her. But, that was never the case,” Shabana Azmi said in a 2025 interview with Filmfare.

Despite their husbands' efforts to encourage reconciliation, they never formed a close friendship. Then, Smita Patil passed away in 1986 at age 31 due to childbirth complications.

“There was definitely an inherent rivalry, which was further fanned by the media,” Shabana said.

“After she passed away, I sort of became a ‘surrogate’ Smitha for her parents, which really baffled me. I regret saying uncharitable things about Smita,” she added.

Imaginary Rain

Imaginary Rain, written and directed by Chef Vikas Khanna, follows Prerna, a woman in her 50s. She has spent 20 years running an Indian restaurant in Manhattan. Her life changes after the sudden loss of her son. She returns to Amritsar in India to face her past and rebuild hope through new relationships.

The film is Khanna’s second directorial project after The Last Color. It has music by AR Rahman. Filming finished in 2024 across New York and India. Private screenings started in early 2026 ahead of a public release.

The Last Color is Vikas Khanna’s 2019 directorial debut, starring Neena Gupta. That film was also based on his novel.

The film follows a 9-year-old tightrope walker and a widow in Varanasi who dreams of celebrating Holi with colour. It was eligible for the 92nd Academy Awards. The movie had its OTT release on Amazon Prime Video.